Pallone Blasts Trump’s Threat to Abandon Puerto Rico

October 16, 2017

Press Release

Washington, D.C. –Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) released the following statement today in response to President Trump’s threat to have the federal government’s relief effort end before the recovery in Puerto Rico is complete.

“When Sandy struck in 2012 my colleagues and I fought to obtain desperately needed resources to help New Jersey rebuild. We also pushed for FEMA to have a lasting presence in the state to assist in the recovery. FEMA operated a Joint Field Office in Lincroft and then Eatontown to coordinate Sandy relief efforts in New Jersey until March 2016. All Americans deserve this type of effort the federal government when a disaster strikes and I have supported robust relief efforts throughout the country, including in Texas and Florida this year.

“It is appalling that President Trump has once again forgotten that Puerto Ricans are Americans and that they too deserve a robust relief effort. Demeaning and attacking Puerto Rico at this dire moment is a shameful attempt to excuse President Trump’s desire to abandon it. The federal government should maintain robust support for the relief efforts in Puerto Rico until a full recovery has been made. We owe that to our fellow Americans.”